When I was 6 years old, I would draw all the time.
It was a huge chunk of my childhood. When I wasn’t running around, I was doodling away in an art book the size of my height. Mountains of loose pages would pile up. My table was a mess of ring-bound artbooks, color pencils, and watercolors.
I was determined to get better, simply repeating to myself:
“Practice makes perfect.”
“Practice makes perfect.”
“Practice makes perfect.”
I took it all the way and practiced.
A lot.
And while I did get better through sheer volume, I could have reached the next level at a faster rate if I realized…
Practice alone does not make perfect
“Practice makes perfect” is a short, bite-sized feel good one-liner.
It doesn’t dig into the nuance.
And the nuance is:
Mindless practice is ineffective. Active practice is the way.
As a kid, I simply drew in volume without thinking about it. It was only after 17 years did I start becoming more intentional. And the rate of improvement shot up like the Bitcoin chart in 2017.
Instead (Practice+Reflect) x Volume
Be active in your practice by reflecting. After every session consider:
- What went well?
- Why was that part not as effective?
- What could I do differently next time?
It’s tempting to get caught in the wheel of busy action but taking a step back to reflect, examine where you are, and determine the next step forward is crucial.
Combine volume with reflection and your progress will be exponential.